New BullGuard survey reveals that gamers are reducing stress, improving mental health, upping their game and staying at home to help to save lives

LONDON
– MAY 7, 2020 – While much of the UK is in lockdown,
a new survey commissioned by cybersecurity expert, BullGuard, has revealed that gamers are
taking advantage of the social isolation to up their game time, and by doing
so, 49% are alleviating lockdown anxiety, 84% are understandably relieving
their boredom, while 60% are battling it out online to help block out the
current situation.

BullGuard partnered with system and gaming
rig builder, Chillblast, to survey
over 1,000 Gamers[1] about their
gaming habits during the coronavirus lockdown. Not surprisingly, it was
discovered that rather than succumb to boredom and stress, gamers have
increased their time online and feel better for it. 84% say their gaming has
increased due to lockdown with a whopping 27% gaming for an extra five or more
hours a day. Extra time spent online has proven to be a boon for gamers with
nearly half (43%) of respondents being able to improve their gaming skills.

Given increased gaming time, you might
think gamers’ families would have something to say about the increased hours
spent in front of a screen – but over three quarters (77%) of respondents said
they live with partners and family who have no issues with their lockdown
gaming habits.

“It’s great to see how gaming across the
board is helping people deal with the lockdown. As a society we have more
awareness about mental health and so it is heartening to see how gaming is
helping with a sense of wellbeing. The results underline how gaming can play a
major role to encourage many to follow the WHO’s health guidelines during the
Covid-19 pandemic, as demonstrated by the gaming industry’s #PlayApartTogether
campaign, which has been hailed on Twitter by Ray Chambers, the WHO’s
Ambassador for Global Strategy,” said Ben Miles, Managing Director at
Chillblast

Not only did respondents admit to spending
more time on their consoles/PCs, 73% said they were spending more money on
gaming too, with 16.6% even admitting to spending an additional £100 plus a
month on in-game purchases, new games, hardware or other related items.

The survey further revealed that 84% of
gamers are using antivirus protection and that 79% are not turning off their
antivirus when gaming. This is an encouraging point because cybercriminals have
unleashed a near tsunami of malware, taking advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic
and the additional time that gamers are spending online due to the lockdown.

Paul Lipman, CEO at BullGuard said: “It’s
incredibly positive to see that 84% of gamers are using antivirus, enabling
them to stay one step ahead of cybercriminals who are taking advantage of the
pandemic. The survey however revealed that over 20% of respondents either do
not have any AV or turn it off whilst gaming. This is because gamers
notoriously believe that AV slows down frame rates, however, thanks to advanced
software, this is not always the case. Antivirus can now include features like
BullGuard’s patent-pending Game
Booster, which not only protects gamers online, but has proven to deliver
optimal performance.”

Although the survey revealed that
additional gaming has helped with overall mental wellbeing, it also revealed
that some crucial day-to-day routines may have slipped, with 1 in 5 admitting
to missing showers, 29% not going outside for over three days and 16% even
admitting to skipping cleaning their teeth.

”The survey results demonstrate that gamers
really are savvy all-rounders. They’re looking after their mental health,
keeping themselves safe from cybercriminals and the increase in cyberattacks, as
well as taking the Government’s crucial advice, which is to: Stay Home, Protect
the NHS and Save Lives,” Lipman concluded.

-ENDS-

About
BullGuard

BullGuard
is an award-winning cybersecurity company focused on providing the consumer and
small business markets with the confidence to use the internet in absolute
safety. We make it simple for users to protect their data, identity and privacy
– at home, in the office and on the go. The BullGuard product portfolio extends
to PC, Mac, tablet and smartphone protection, and features a comprehensive
product suite, including internet security, mobile security, identity protection,
an easy-to-use VPN with military-grade encryption and BullGuard Small Office
Security, a dedicated, cloud-managed endpoint service designed specifically for
small offices. BullGuard released the world’s first IoT vulnerability scanner,
real-time Home Network Scanner and unique Game Booster delivering the most
secure and optimized gaming experience for PC Gamers. Today, BullGuard
continues to lead the cybersecurity industry in providing innovations. All
BullGuard customers enjoy expert live 24/7 customer support and a no-logs
policy.

Chillblast
is the UK’s premier gaming PC manufacturer and is based in Poole, Dorset.
Founded in 2001, it has grown into one of the most highly respected and
decorated desktop PC builders in the world. Chillblast remains at full strength
during lockdown, servicing its customers with the industry’s best warranty,
customer support and the finest computers on the market.

About Us

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